The emergency solutions grant (ESG) authorizes the department of housing and urban development (HUD) to make grants to states, units of general-purpose local government, and territories for the…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development awarded the City of Reading $212,691 through the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (CFDA 14.231) on September 17, 2025, for street outreach, emergency shelter operations, essential services, and homeless management information systems serving homeless individuals and families in Reading, Pennsylvania.

The ESG program funds five eligible components: street outreach to engage unsheltered homeless individuals and families; emergency shelter rehabilitation, conversion, and operations; essential services for shelter residents; homelessness prevention assistance; and rapid re-housing support to move homeless individuals and families quickly into permanent housing stability. Recipients may also use ESG funds for administrative activities. The award period runs through September 16, 2027.

The City of Reading, a local government entity headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, is the direct recipient. ESG is a formula grant program, and as an entitlement community under HUD's formula allocation structure, Reading receives annual allocations based on statutory criteria rather than through competitive application. The city operates exclusively on the grant side of the federal ledger and holds 59 awards from HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development across affordable housing production, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and community development.

Activities

ESG funds may be used for five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid RE-housing assistance, and homeless management information system (hmis). Funds can also be used for administrative activities. The five program components and the eligible activities that may be funded under each are set forth in 24 code of federal regulations (CFR) 576.101 through 576.107.

Expected outcomes

With ESG program funding, communities can engage homeless individuals and families living on the street, improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals/families, support the operation of emergency shelters, provide essential services to shelter residents, rapidly work to rehouse homeless individuals and families and prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

Intended beneficiaries

Eligible recipients of the ESG funds generally consist of metropolitan cities, urban counties, territories, and states, as defined in 24 CFR 576.2. The minimum eligibility criteria for ESG beneficiaries are as follows: for essential services related to street outreach, beneficiaries must meet the criteria under paragraph (1) (i) of the "homeless" definition under 576.2. For emergency shelter, beneficiaries must meet the "homeless" definition in 24 CFR 576.2. For essential services related to emergency shelter, beneficiaries must be "homeless" and staying in an emergency shelter (which could include a day shelter). For homelessness prevention assistance, beneficiaries must meet the requirements described in 24 CFR 576.103PAR. For rapid RE-housing assistance, beneficiaries must meet requirements described in 24 CFR 576.104. Further eligibility criteria may be established at the local level in accordance with 24 CFR 576.400(e).

Subrecipient activities

The subrecipient activities are unknown at the time of award.